The invention described herein may be made, used and licensed by The United States Government for all governmental purposes without paying me any royalty.
1. Field of the Invention
In one aspect this invention relates to battery clamps. In yet a further aspect this invention relates to clamps that are easily attached and removed from vehicle battery terminals.
2. Prior Art
In general, conventional battery booster cables have a clamp made with two levers joined by a rivet with a helical spring disposed about the rivet, the spring biasing the levers to maintain the jaw portion of the levers together in a closed position. Squeezing the levers and placing the jaws around a battery terminal can open the clamp. This type of clamp is widely used because it is cheap and easy to use. However many of the modern vehicles have the battery terminals on the side of the battery and such clamps are difficult to attach. Also occasionally they jump off the battery terminal if they are not properly attached. In addition to placement of the terminal, battery terminals are subject to harsh corrosive forces that coat and degrade the surface of the terminals making electrical connections difficult. The ability to increase the force on the terminal clamps, even slightly, would increase the ability of the clamp to break through corrosion and debris on the terminal and effect electrical connection.
A different form of battery clamp is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,633. This patent shows a linear movement clamp with one fixed jaw and one moveable jaw normally biased to a clamping position but with a lever that can be activated to separate the jaws for placement on the battery terminal. This type of clamp does allow the jaws to be configured to allow placement on side mounted terminal as well as top mounted terminal. However, like other prior art structures it is normally biased into the closed position. Thus, maximum clamping force is determined by the biasing means. Too great a bias will make the clamp hard to open limiting its usefulness. Too little clamping force will result in inadequate clamping force and inadequate electrical connections of the clamps. Because of its long handle and very small jaws, it has a tendency to slip or jump out of the battery terminal.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a linear clamping device that can be easily attached to vehicle battery terminals whether located on the side or top of the battery. It is also an object to provide a clamp that can be activated to provide additional clamping force, for firm and positive quick attachment when needed to effect good electrical conductivity.
Briefly, the present invention is an improved linear action battery clamp useful for attaching a battery cable to a vehicle""s battery terminal. The clamp has a frame member with a fixed jaw positioned on one end of the frame and a fixed handle located on the end of the frame opposite the fixed jaw. The frame has first and second coaxially aligned bores formed in the frame and a chamber or opening located between the first and second bores.
A reciprocating actuator rod is mounted in the frame with a portion of the rod being mounted within and passing through the first and second bores. The rod has a second jaw mounted on one end so that the second jaw is moveable towards the fixed jaw of the frame to clamp a battery terminal when clamp is activated.
A sliding actuator is mounted on the rod within the chamber. The actuator is biased to a first ready position, where the actuator grips the rod and moves the rod linearly when the actuator is moved toward its second position by an actuating force. The biasing means associated with the actuator returns the actuator to its first position when the actuating force is removed.
A lever or actuating arm is pivotally attached to the frame near the fixed handle to form an actuation grip the pivoting arm having paired cam surfaces on one end juxtaposed the actuator. When the actuating arm is pivoted by moving the arm towards the fixed handle, a cam surface on the end of the arm near the chamber the cam surface contacts the actuator and moves the actuator to the second position. When the force on the actuating arm is released, the biasing means will return the actuating arm to its normal position. The actuator arm can then be activated again to provide further tightening action if necessary.
A brake member connected to the frame near the fixed handle acts on the rod. The brake is normally biased to a braking position that restricts the rods linear motion allowing the rod to move so the moveable jaw engages the fixed jaw, and serving to hold the rod in a fixed position. The brake has a release position that allows the rod to be moved in the opposite direction by hand so as to open or disengage the jaw.